Melissa Cameron & Chloe Vallance ‘Measuring the Space Between’ @ Hand Held Gallery

Regular readers will know I have admired the work of Melissa Cameron and Chloe Vallance since I started writing. They have collaborated on the exhibition ‘Measuring the Space Between‘ at Hand Held Gallery.

photograph taken with gallery permission

This is a wonderful group of work! I was very impressed … but that’s no surprise to me really, as I like Melissa’s precise sawing and also Chloe’s beautiful impressionistic drawing. Their personal signatures, though on paper quite the opposite, work beautifully together.

photograph taken with gallery permission

The above three pieces were my favourite of the exhibition – especially the neckpiece on the right.

There are thirty-seven pieces in the exhibition, many pieces in couples where a piece is made from components of the other.

photograph taken with gallery permission

Melissa usually works in found metal; but this group uses mostly found wood (coasters and bowls and other pieces, like the spoon) and a few tins and metal coasters I think (the second image above look like they’re made of this? or perhaps compacts?). Chloe usually does work on found wood, so the combination makes sense for their collaboration. It is interesting that the material of pre-loved wooden objects continues to emerge in the Melbourne jewellery community …

photograph taken with gallery permission

I very much enjoyed this exhibition.

Previous posts on Melissa and Chloe… 28th September 2009, 10th August 2009, 24th July 2009, 3rd April 2009.

‘Measuring the Space Between‘ is at Hand Held Gallery until 8th January 2011.

Update (20th December): Hand Held Gallery has some detailed images of the work here.

‘One Cup’ @ Hand Held Gallery

When I popped in to Hand Held Gallery to collect to super-gorgeous ‘Stilt Cup‘ I bought from Katherine Wheeler’s exhibition recently, I took the opportunity to check out the latest exhibition ‘One Cup‘.

photograph taken with gallery permission

All pieces refer to teaspoons, as the concept is that it takes 48 teaspoons to fill one cup – kind of cute idea!

Katherine Wheeler has two pieces here, which she shows beautiful images of on her blog. And Melissa Cameron has collaborated with Chloe Vallance on a piece, and also has two of her own here; she has images of all pieces on her blog too. And Victoria Mason shows her piece on her blog too (I like so many makers blogging). And finally, Hand Held has some images of opening night and some very detailed images of each of the pieces on their blog.

‘One Cup‘ is at Hand Held Gallery until the end of April 2010.

Katherine Wheeler & Abby Seymour ‘Hidden Facets’ – part #2

Photographs all loaded and ready for sharing – sorry about the delay!

As I mentioned in the last post, at last Katherine Wheeler and Abby Seymour have collaborated and the result is quite a beautiful exhibition ‘Hidden Facets‘. I’ve said before how much I respond to and love art that is created in response to other art, and an interdependent collaboration is a perfect example of that kind of approach and the resulting symbiotic relationship.

[all photographs taken with artists permission; no images in this post are to be reproduced without permission of the author or artists, this differs from the general copyright statement of this blog]

photograph taken with artists permission; amended copyright notice as above

The colour white is dominant (as discussed in Katherine’s artist profile); however shades of shell and body-pink colours emerge, and there is a progression through to a gold-orange and black in an interplay between Abby’s bold print and the porcelain/resin rings they’ve created together.

photograph taken with artists permission; amended copyright notice as above

There is quite a lot of work here, though the exhibition design and layout is such that the space seems beautifully balanced and there’s enough room for respect for each piece.

An exerpt from the artists’ statement: ‘The themes that Wheeler and Seymour evoke in this exhibition are that of curiosity and reflection. The body of work has a subtle undertone of the mysterious and unknown, reflecting and revealing the idea of multiple, ever changing and mutating forms and ideas that co-exist in today’s society.’

photograph taken with artists permission; amended copyright notice as above

The above shelf is my favourite of the exhibition – the little clusters of objects relate so well to each other, with to each piece in the group.

photograph taken with artists permission; amended copyright notice as above

I mentioned in the previous post that I am now the proud owner of one of Katherine’s objects – the little ‘stilt cup’ in the image below. Another super-gorgeous image is on Katherine’s blog here.

photograph taken with artists permission; amended copyright notice as above

Katherine has more photographs of the opening night on her blog here.

The effort it takes to find Hand Held Gallery – it’s hidden away in a shopping centre on Bourke Street that’s so easy to just walk on by without noticing too much – is certainly worthwhile to see this gorgeous ephemeral and delicate exhibition.

‘Hidden Facets‘ is at Hand Held Gallery until 3rd April 2010.

Update (27th March): Hand Held Gallery’s blog has some more images of the work

Katherine Wheeler & Abby Seymour ‘Hidden Facets’ @ Hand Held Gallery

Last night saw the opening of the exhibition of jewellery by the lovely Katherine Wheeler (see my previous artist profile story, and her blog) and printmaking/drawing by the equally lovely Abby Seymour (tumblr), and pieces they’ve collaborated on.

I had intended to share photographs with you today, however I am ‘en plein air’ (ie. gallivanting around the place) and failed to bring my camera connection thingy-whatsit. For now I share the gorgeous invitation, which gives an indication of the delicacy of the work.

invitation; courtesy of the artists

And I am very excited to say that I am now a proud owner a Katherine Wheeler object (so excited)… more on that, and images and thoughts about the exhibition, when I get my photos uploaded (will be very soon)!

‘Hidden Facets‘ is at Hand Held Gallery until 3rd April 2010.